The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-25
HORACE GREELEY.

"A NUMBER OF years ago FOUND myself IN
New York with a few dollars in my pocket,
over which l was debating at the cross
roads of indecision to whether | should
invest it in attempt to got a foothold in
journalism on some of the metropolitan
papers, go west, whittier the star of in
tellectual well material empire seemed
to point the way.
/ had brought with me from my New
England home a letter of introduction to
Horace Greeley, given me by distinguished
American poetess, to whom he had long
been attached by the closest spiritual ties.
But 80 much had l heard of the savage
humors with which one was liable to be
confronted, should his presence happen to
be i'll timed, that felt like one who carried
a free pass to enter a lions cage, and the
certainty that the pPss would carry me up
when once delivered made it all the more
uncomfortable in my pocket.
On the afternoon when / had determined
to hazard the die / passed and repassed the
old Tribune building several times on the
opposite side to get my first journalistic
wind, for / was scarcely more than
blushng, shrinking New England boy,
who felt constrained in the presence of
''great men" to assume the attitude of a
toad looking up at st. Peters
But / finally gathered myself up, and
sighting the door of The Tribune office,
crossed the street with firm and steady
tread, and soon had my card in the hands of
the office boy, who disappeared with it up
stairs. After a few awful moments the lad
returned and babe me follow. / assembled
couple of flights of rickety stairs and soon
reached a door which looked as though it
might be an entrance to the top loft of
grist mill. l entered, and as the door closed
behind me seated myself cautiously upon a
dilapidated chair. for the abiding spirit into
whose presence l had entered turned not
round nor made any sign of recognition
i shall never forget the picture of that
editorial ''den''-if that can be called a
picture which is thrown together by the
demons of disorder and chaos. Papers,
pamphlets, books, unused copy, old hats
and editorial bric-a -brac of all descriptions
scattered about promiscuously- Mr..
Greeley's traditional gray coat flung
into the corner, with his slouched hat rest
ing TRANQUILITY upon it, A generous profu-
sion of cobwebs and dust forced upon the
visitors attention the conspicuous absence
Of broom soap and toilet furniture. Verify
here the fitting abode of intellectual
Rattlebones-the disputed realm of Rhada-
manthus and the Sun god.
The figure, whose brawny back was turned
toward me, elevated on antique
chair the limbs of which seemed to be hold
ing rivalry with those of its occupant. Be
fore him desk nearly as high as his
shoulders on the side of which pot of
ink, set in pile of quilts The paper on
which he wrote held at vertical
angle With his great hand grasped firmly
around the quill, though it We're the lever
that moved the world, he would thrust it
into the ink pot, and then with motion
projected from level with the eye he
would swing it across and back on the paper
as though il were jackplane, till the
II
Icy swing his quill in that weird sanctum
witnessed species of Technique the like
of which was never seen before in this world
and will probably never be seen again.
When he had finished the editorial upon
which he was at work he scrambled the
sheets together, scrubbed out the headline,
and calling boy sent the copy up to- the
compositors. Fortunately for me it hap.
pened to be his last office work for that
day, and now my time had come After
reading over the lady's note, which recon-
mended me to his kindest consideration, as
. youth of more promise than experience in
the literary world, he turned to me, and
setting his specs upon his spacious temples,
said: ''Well, young man."
Heavens! thought l. now the rest is com
ing. But that which came did not point
westward, but pointed rather, subsequent
experience has since taught, to the best
sense within me.
Il am in a mood" he continued, in
Difference to my dear friend Mrs w, to give
you my very best advice to the advisa-
bility of entering upon journalism as a
profession. If you have brains, conscience
and independent creative, literary ability
my advice 20 you is to keep away from the
newspapers and work your level best in pa
thence till you can make point as a maya
zine writer. You have then laid the corner
a e
the way is certain for you to be rated for
all you are worth in literature. y news
paper is primarily commercial enterprise,
whose proprietors are engaged in the trade
of buying and selling news and of furnish
ing the various members OF society with
the means of making known to each other
their wants and trade facilities Outside
Of tsis il is incidentally literary reforma-
tory and educational enterprise; but these
latter phases are bound to be largely sub
servient TO the commercial purposes upon
which the enterprise financially floats. 1t
is for this reason that young men are not
usually taken into newspaper office, ex-
cept they are willing to begin as news
gatherers, and thus make thorough under
standing of the commercial side of journal
ism the groundwork of their efficiency 1t
will not probably be i'll my time, young
man, but the day is coming when the edi-
torial and literary side of a newspaper will
be divorced from the commercial. That
day is not Yet arrived, and the man who
advertises candles, pills and old junk in
great journal feels that the editor Is morally
responsible 10 him for his views ON potatoes,
economies and education. You are young,
and will probably live To see the day when
distinctively literary bureaus outside of the
newspaper Office will furnish the editorial
and literary miscellany of the coming
great Journal over responsible signatures.
This will extricate editorial integrity from
commercial pressure and make the news
paper a power for good which it finds il
hard 10 be at present.
The fading twilight was struggling to
reach the great blue eyes of the Tribune
philosopher through the dirt -begrimed win
dow as these confidential words were being
spoken in spirit of somewhat touching
kindness / felt that had caught Horace